Reducing wind induced damage and water intrusion to structures is a high priority in the field of building design and construction. Post-disaster surveys have provided direct evidence that wind-induced damage and property losses are due largely to failure of building envelope components (e.g., roof components and wall cladding failures, soffit failures) causing water intrusion and building interior damage. These failures are often initiated at wind edges, such as, for example, roof edges, corners, and wall edges and corners subjected to suction forces caused by high winds.
Windstorms also pose severe threats to building operations due to power outages resulting from damage. Hurricane related power outages are a growing concern, as they cause severe disruption of activities and operations in residential/commercial/industrial buildings, hospitals, and emergency shelters.
Devices and methods for reducing wind damage require careful consideration in new construction projects, as well as when retro-fitting existing buildings and structures in windstorm-prone regions. Current aerodynamics mitigation devices typically operate passively by blocking or redirecting winds away from or in a direction that is less damaging to a building or structure. However, the potential power generated by strong winds can be significant. Thus, while current devices can be effective in inhibiting wind damage by redirecting the wind, they offer no opportunity to actually harvest the potential energy from wind.
A wind mitigation system that protects against the physical effects of wind and also utilizes potential wind power to create energy reserves for immediate and/or later use, such as to allow sustainable operations and/or provide power under emergency conditions, would be a significant improvement in building design and construction.